When it comes to performance, there's no substitute for cubic inches. And the quickest — though often not the easiest — solution is to shoehorn the biggest engine you've got into the smallest car you make.

Which is precisely what Aston Martin has done with the V12 Vantage RS. Nestled under the heavily louvered hood is a modified 6.0-liter V-12 that develops 600 bhp and 509 lb.-ft. of torque, in a car that's been pared down to just over 3500 lb. Aston says it will be its quickest-accelerating car ever, claiming 0–60 mph in 4.0 seconds and 100 mph in 8.5; top speed is estimated at 191 mph.

The engine benefits from a dry-sump lubrication system, tuned-length exhaust manifolds, forged pistons and connecting rods, revised lift and duration camshafts and modified cylinder heads. Power is taken to the rear wheels via a 6-speed transaxle, while 15.6-in. carbon-ceramic brakes provide the stopping power.

"Packaging the V-12 was the biggest challenge we faced," said engineering chief Ian Minards. "It's considerably longer than the V-8, yet we couldn't alter the bulkhead's location." Look beneath the hood and you'll see there's barely a fraction of an inch that isn't used. It was imperative to be able to feed in enough air to cool the engine, while also venting vast volumes of hot air out of the engine bay.

Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ulrich Bez, claimed the car was a "concept," before adding, "It will cost about $326,000 if we get around 100 orders. The final price will depend on how much interest there is in the car."